A - Audience / Attention
B - Be prepared / Begin strong
C - Confidence / Courage
D - Dress to Impress / Determine direction
E - Enthusiasm / Evaluations
F - Facts & Figures / Focus
G - Gestures
H - Hone In / Hope
I - Inspire / Impress
J - Journey / Join in
K - Know your material / Knowledge
L - Life lessons / learning
M - Manage your time / Maximize
N - Notice things / No excuses
O - Open up onstage / Offer
P - Practice presenting / play
Q - Quotations / Questions
R - Relax / Rehearse
S - Sum up / Share
T - Talking / Time management
U - Understanding
V - Vocal Variety / Voice control / Value
W - Watch your audience / Welcoming
X - Express yourself
Y - You
Z - Zebras and other animals
Showing posts with label humourous speeches. Show all posts
Showing posts with label humourous speeches. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 1, 2016
Sunday, April 7, 2013
Dealing With Self-Induced Stress
Do you have just 2 minutes? That's all the time it takes to read the following article. But if you're really short on
time, just read the first paragraph. It summarizes the whole
text.
Enjoy!
Free article no. 134
DEALING WITH SELF-INDUCED STRESS
by J.A. Gamache
Third place Champion at the 2001 Toastmasters International World Championship of Public Speaking
I learned an important lesson when I first presented my inspirational keynote entitled "Cross the line!". When striving for perfection, we can sometimes create our own stress.
After many years as an amateur speaker, I had accumulated enough material to give a strong sixty-minute speech.
One day, the president of a company saw my free presentation and was thrilled with it; so much so that he hired me on the spot to present it to his employees.
I was nervous. It was the first time I was being paid a professional speaking fee, so disappointing my client was out of the question! I interviewed him, adapted my presentation to his employees' needs, and then organized a rehearsal in front of a dozen people.
The rehearsal was a disaster! I was shaking like a leaf and my mouth ran dry. I had lost my usual stamina and was constantly looking at my notes because I was forgetting my text.
And the real presentation was only two days away!!!
Can you imagine how hard I worked over the next two days? I practiced my speech over and over again.
On the day of my presentation, just as I was announced to the audience, I realized that my notes were still in the car. Instead of panicking, I said to myself: "Tough luck. You know your text, and if you forget, you'll just improvise." So I went on stage.
That interior dialog was the turning point that made all the difference. Unlike rehearsal day, I didn't worry about being perfect, and most of my stress vanished away.
My speech was a success. Of course I forgot a small part of my text, but the audience couldn't tell. Having already put in all the hard work, I was able to relax on the floor and allow myself to perform without my notes.
This message is for perfectionists like me. Wanting to avoid mistakes at all costs during the performance may be the cause of your stress. It was a blessing that I forgot my notes that day. Instead of trying to be a flawless speaker, I was myself, and that made the day perfect!
Happy speech!
©MMXI J.A. Gamache www.jagamache.com. All rights reserved.
To your successful speaking
Fran
P.S. Sign up for my free ezine and get 800 speech topics - Click here
------------------------------
PERMISSION IS GRANTED TO REPRODUCE THIS ARTICLE in whole or
in part if a copy of the reproduced text is sent to J.A. Gamache at info@jagamache.com after publication and also provided that this byline, including the following paragraph, appears along with the reproduced text:
This article was reproduced from "Speaking in Public with J.A.", a FREE electronic magazine authored by J.A. Gamache, International Inspirational Speaker. To subscribe to his FREE e-zine or to find out more about his presentations, visit: http://www.jagamache.com.
Enjoy!
Free article no. 134
DEALING WITH SELF-INDUCED STRESS
by J.A. Gamache
Third place Champion at the 2001 Toastmasters International World Championship of Public Speaking
I learned an important lesson when I first presented my inspirational keynote entitled "Cross the line!". When striving for perfection, we can sometimes create our own stress.
After many years as an amateur speaker, I had accumulated enough material to give a strong sixty-minute speech.
One day, the president of a company saw my free presentation and was thrilled with it; so much so that he hired me on the spot to present it to his employees.
I was nervous. It was the first time I was being paid a professional speaking fee, so disappointing my client was out of the question! I interviewed him, adapted my presentation to his employees' needs, and then organized a rehearsal in front of a dozen people.
The rehearsal was a disaster! I was shaking like a leaf and my mouth ran dry. I had lost my usual stamina and was constantly looking at my notes because I was forgetting my text.
And the real presentation was only two days away!!!
Can you imagine how hard I worked over the next two days? I practiced my speech over and over again.
On the day of my presentation, just as I was announced to the audience, I realized that my notes were still in the car. Instead of panicking, I said to myself: "Tough luck. You know your text, and if you forget, you'll just improvise." So I went on stage.
That interior dialog was the turning point that made all the difference. Unlike rehearsal day, I didn't worry about being perfect, and most of my stress vanished away.
My speech was a success. Of course I forgot a small part of my text, but the audience couldn't tell. Having already put in all the hard work, I was able to relax on the floor and allow myself to perform without my notes.
This message is for perfectionists like me. Wanting to avoid mistakes at all costs during the performance may be the cause of your stress. It was a blessing that I forgot my notes that day. Instead of trying to be a flawless speaker, I was myself, and that made the day perfect!
Happy speech!
©MMXI J.A. Gamache www.jagamache.com. All rights reserved.
To your successful speaking
Fran
P.S. Sign up for my free ezine and get 800 speech topics - Click here
------------------------------
PERMISSION IS GRANTED TO REPRODUCE THIS ARTICLE in whole or
in part if a copy of the reproduced text is sent to J.A. Gamache at info@jagamache.com after publication and also provided that this byline, including the following paragraph, appears along with the reproduced text:
This article was reproduced from "Speaking in Public with J.A.", a FREE electronic magazine authored by J.A. Gamache, International Inspirational Speaker. To subscribe to his FREE e-zine or to find out more about his presentations, visit: http://www.jagamache.com.
Tuesday, April 2, 2013
Speech Contests
For Toastmasters spring and fall provide opportunities for speakers to compete against others in Speech Contests.
In the spring, the International Speech Contest draws in speakers from all over the world, competing in their districts and regions for the opportunity to compete at the conference in August and the chance to become the World Champion.
The other contests may end at the local District levels, but they too provide an opportunity for fun and competition as contestants share their funny stories in the Humorous Speech Contests or the Tall Tales Contests. They also develop their impromptu speaking skills in the Evaluation Contests and the Table Topics Contests.
Why would a person want to subject themselves to such a practice? Isn't it tough enough to get up in front of your fellow co-workers to give a presentation? Or in front of your local club?
They do it to grow, to enhance their skills.
People who participate in Toastmasters develop their confidence as they participate in weekly meetings, taking on the various roles of Toastmaster, Table Topics Master, Grammarian, Timer, Educational Tip, Ah Counter. Each time they speak at a meeting, or challenge themselves to present a speech, they grow.
When they want to challenge themselves further, they participate in contests - from club level, to area level, to division level, to district level, and in the case of the International Speech Contest, to the International level.
If you are thinking about developing your confidence and leadership skills, check out a Toastmasters Club near you. Who knows, you just might get hooked on speech contests and challenging yourself to grow.
To your speaking success
Fran
P.S.
More youtube videos on humourous speeches
In the spring, the International Speech Contest draws in speakers from all over the world, competing in their districts and regions for the opportunity to compete at the conference in August and the chance to become the World Champion.
The other contests may end at the local District levels, but they too provide an opportunity for fun and competition as contestants share their funny stories in the Humorous Speech Contests or the Tall Tales Contests. They also develop their impromptu speaking skills in the Evaluation Contests and the Table Topics Contests.
Why would a person want to subject themselves to such a practice? Isn't it tough enough to get up in front of your fellow co-workers to give a presentation? Or in front of your local club?
They do it to grow, to enhance their skills.
People who participate in Toastmasters develop their confidence as they participate in weekly meetings, taking on the various roles of Toastmaster, Table Topics Master, Grammarian, Timer, Educational Tip, Ah Counter. Each time they speak at a meeting, or challenge themselves to present a speech, they grow.
When they want to challenge themselves further, they participate in contests - from club level, to area level, to division level, to district level, and in the case of the International Speech Contest, to the International level.
If you are thinking about developing your confidence and leadership skills, check out a Toastmasters Club near you. Who knows, you just might get hooked on speech contests and challenging yourself to grow.
To your speaking success
Fran
P.S.
More youtube videos on humourous speeches
Monday, September 12, 2011
Speaking About Time or Timing Your Speaking
Have you ever thought about the relationship between time and public speaking?
I just read this really neat blog by Andrew Dlugan of SixMinutes
"On the surface, you engage your audience second by second, stringing together words into sentences that, over the duration of your presentation, may last minutes or perhaps hours.
Yet, the impact of your speaking experiences may last days, weeks, months, or even years — for you and for those in your audiences.
In this article, we examine time scales ranging from a tenth of a second to hundreds of years, and consider how each of these scales is relevant to you as a speaker."
read more
I hope you enjoy this article as much as I did.
Fran Watson
P.S. For help with your public speaking, consider Toastmasters. Find a Club near you...Click here
P.P.S. Check out this article on Public Speaking
I just read this really neat blog by Andrew Dlugan of SixMinutes
"On the surface, you engage your audience second by second, stringing together words into sentences that, over the duration of your presentation, may last minutes or perhaps hours.
Yet, the impact of your speaking experiences may last days, weeks, months, or even years — for you and for those in your audiences.
In this article, we examine time scales ranging from a tenth of a second to hundreds of years, and consider how each of these scales is relevant to you as a speaker."
read more
I hope you enjoy this article as much as I did.
Fran Watson
P.S. For help with your public speaking, consider Toastmasters. Find a Club near you...Click here
P.P.S. Check out this article on Public Speaking
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Monday, September 5, 2011
Funny You Should Ask - Humourous Speeches
When John Zimmer of Geneva, Switzerland, gave his speech last November, he donned a pair of black shades and broke out a nimble Arnold Schwarzenegger accent. Not only that, but The Terminator’s timing was spot-on.
The occasion was a Humorous Speech Contest, an event that Toastmasters International presents every year. The competition is held at various Toastmasters venues throughout the world, and it produces loads of laughter and fun for everyone involved.
Read more
The occasion was a Humorous Speech Contest, an event that Toastmasters International presents every year. The competition is held at various Toastmasters venues throughout the world, and it produces loads of laughter and fun for everyone involved.
Read more
Monday, August 15, 2011
Tips on Humour in Public Speaking
Irwin Barker died in June 2010, but his legend lives on via YouTube. I hope you enjoy some of these videos and learn some tips on public speaking.
Fran Watson
District 61 PRO
http://www.tm61.org/
Fran Watson
District 61 PRO
http://www.tm61.org/
Monday, June 6, 2011
Humour in Public Speaking
Public Speaking - 7 Types of Humor You Can Use
In public speaking, the ability to use humor is an important skill to possess whatever your natural ability is. Most people like to smile, to laugh, or to enjoy a listening experience. Humor adds sparkle and interest to a speech. Humor when used should be good willed and not given in a manner to show how witty you are.
It is probably impossible to catalog humor completely. Here I have listed the 7 kinds of humor commonly used in public speaking.
Turn of Phrase
In this type of humor, you get the laugh by starting to make a serious point in one direction and suddenly an unexpected meaning is revealed. Mark Twain used this technique when he said that "youth is such a wonderful thing, it is shame to waste it on children."
The Pun
A word is used to evoke a serious meaning and then used in a completely different meaning altogether. The second meaning gives a whole new viewpoint to the speaker's remarks. To be funny the meaning should not be stretched too far or it will evoke groans rather than smiles. For example, the organiser of an event may ask a member of the audience if the guest speaker was an able speaker. The member of the audience may reply "Yes, the guest speaker was able. He was able to stand up all the way through his speech."
Exaggeration
This is where a small thing is made into a larger important issue. This is similar to the how a cartoonist will exaggerate the features of a politician for effect.
Understatement
This is the opposite of exaggeration, and words are used to underplay the importance of an event or issue.
Irony
Here, the face value meaning of the words is different to the intended meaning. An example is the phrase "as pleasant and relaxed as a coiled rattlesnake" used by Kurt Vonnegut in one of his books.
Sarcasm
Sarcasm is a cutting form of wit and should be used with care. To be funny the audience should not have much sympathy for the intended target. If they do it will not work in your favor.
Satire
Satire is an attack upon something worded in a way as to be pleasant but clear in its meaning. Will Rogers at a bankers convention asked "I have often wondered where the Depositor's hold their convention."
To be funny, the humor should be said in a spirit of fun. However, for best effect, humor should be unannounced and told with a straight face (you don't want to laugh before your audience does). It requires more practice and preparation than other parts of your speech. The humor will die if you fumble over words or stumble during the punch line. In public speaking, as it is with conversation, the telling of humor should be effortless and natural.
To be effective in public speaking the humor should be relevant to the points being made. It is woven into the fabric of the speech. With practice and preparation it is possible to employ the 7 types of humor listed, regardless of how dry and shy you maybe.
Author: Edward Hope ... Add interest to your your public speaking and conversation with "The Art of Great Conversation." To claim your free preview visit http://www.selfconfidentspeaking.com/
Keep them laughing
Fran Watson
http://www.franwatson.ca/PublicSpeaking/index2.html
In public speaking, the ability to use humor is an important skill to possess whatever your natural ability is. Most people like to smile, to laugh, or to enjoy a listening experience. Humor adds sparkle and interest to a speech. Humor when used should be good willed and not given in a manner to show how witty you are.
It is probably impossible to catalog humor completely. Here I have listed the 7 kinds of humor commonly used in public speaking.
Turn of Phrase
In this type of humor, you get the laugh by starting to make a serious point in one direction and suddenly an unexpected meaning is revealed. Mark Twain used this technique when he said that "youth is such a wonderful thing, it is shame to waste it on children."
The Pun
A word is used to evoke a serious meaning and then used in a completely different meaning altogether. The second meaning gives a whole new viewpoint to the speaker's remarks. To be funny the meaning should not be stretched too far or it will evoke groans rather than smiles. For example, the organiser of an event may ask a member of the audience if the guest speaker was an able speaker. The member of the audience may reply "Yes, the guest speaker was able. He was able to stand up all the way through his speech."
Exaggeration
This is where a small thing is made into a larger important issue. This is similar to the how a cartoonist will exaggerate the features of a politician for effect.
Understatement
This is the opposite of exaggeration, and words are used to underplay the importance of an event or issue.
Irony
Here, the face value meaning of the words is different to the intended meaning. An example is the phrase "as pleasant and relaxed as a coiled rattlesnake" used by Kurt Vonnegut in one of his books.
Sarcasm
Sarcasm is a cutting form of wit and should be used with care. To be funny the audience should not have much sympathy for the intended target. If they do it will not work in your favor.
Satire
Satire is an attack upon something worded in a way as to be pleasant but clear in its meaning. Will Rogers at a bankers convention asked "I have often wondered where the Depositor's hold their convention."
To be funny, the humor should be said in a spirit of fun. However, for best effect, humor should be unannounced and told with a straight face (you don't want to laugh before your audience does). It requires more practice and preparation than other parts of your speech. The humor will die if you fumble over words or stumble during the punch line. In public speaking, as it is with conversation, the telling of humor should be effortless and natural.
To be effective in public speaking the humor should be relevant to the points being made. It is woven into the fabric of the speech. With practice and preparation it is possible to employ the 7 types of humor listed, regardless of how dry and shy you maybe.
Author: Edward Hope ... Add interest to your your public speaking and conversation with "The Art of Great Conversation." To claim your free preview visit http://www.selfconfidentspeaking.com/
Keep them laughing
Fran Watson
http://www.franwatson.ca/PublicSpeaking/index2.html
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
Opportunity
Our theme for our weekly Toastmasters' Meeting this week was Opportunity and I had the opportunity to give the toast, so I wrote a poem on the subject.
Opportunities Taken
Expand my horizons?
Oh no, I’m too scared
I don’t think I’d know what to do.
I’ve grown used to the comfort
Of just coming and listening
And maybe doing timing, or ah counting or quizzing
But take on a role of Toastmaster, no way
I might make mistakes. What would I say?
And table topics is frightening, people might boo
When I introduce a topic or two.
Expand my horizons
Do you really think I could?
The thought just scares me to death.
Well ok, not quite, but almost, but then,
that’s how I felt before I began
my weekly sessions at Toastmasters;
So maybe I can..
Ok, yes I’ll do it, I’ll step out in faith
sign me up.
I did it, I did it and I did ok
I really expanded my horizons today
And it felt so good I’ll do it again,
Why let opportunity just pass me by,
Without even looking to give it a try?
Just give me that schedule
And I’ll put down my name
I’ll start with the story or maybe a toast
It will give me an opportunity to stand up and boast.
Perhaps next week I’ll give my next speech
Or maybe even the word of the week.
My confidence grows with every new step
And I look forward to things that I haven’t done yet
I’m expanding my horizons and I’ll continue to soar
As each week I’ll do something and then one thing more.
Opportunities given, opportunities taken
The growth is amazing, there’s no mistaking
So look around at the things you can do
Who knows what next can happen for you!
Fran Watson
copyright Feb 7, 2011
Opportunities Taken
Expand my horizons?
Oh no, I’m too scared
I don’t think I’d know what to do.
I’ve grown used to the comfort
Of just coming and listening
And maybe doing timing, or ah counting or quizzing
But take on a role of Toastmaster, no way
I might make mistakes. What would I say?
And table topics is frightening, people might boo
When I introduce a topic or two.
Expand my horizons
Do you really think I could?
The thought just scares me to death.
Well ok, not quite, but almost, but then,
that’s how I felt before I began
my weekly sessions at Toastmasters;
So maybe I can..
Ok, yes I’ll do it, I’ll step out in faith
sign me up.
I did it, I did it and I did ok
I really expanded my horizons today
And it felt so good I’ll do it again,
Why let opportunity just pass me by,
Without even looking to give it a try?
Just give me that schedule
And I’ll put down my name
I’ll start with the story or maybe a toast
It will give me an opportunity to stand up and boast.
Perhaps next week I’ll give my next speech
Or maybe even the word of the week.
My confidence grows with every new step
And I look forward to things that I haven’t done yet
I’m expanding my horizons and I’ll continue to soar
As each week I’ll do something and then one thing more.
Opportunities given, opportunities taken
The growth is amazing, there’s no mistaking
So look around at the things you can do
Who knows what next can happen for you!
Fran Watson
copyright Feb 7, 2011
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Public Speaking Tips - Why Toastmasters?
Pursue Your Passion... This is a phrase we hear often these days, but what does it mean exactly? How do we determine what our passion really is? How do we find the time to pursue anything with all the work we have to do? Those are really good questions and I'm not really sure that I have the answers to them, but one thing I do know is that pursuing your passion involves choices. That's right choices.
If you want to pursue anything, it means you have to take some type of action. The word pursue involves movement and if you are sitting on the couch watching the lastest episode of Lost or The Amazing Race, then you are not moving, (other than to get up from the couch to go to the fridge for snacks).
Pursuing your passion means making choices to forgo that tv show to get out and do something about what you are passionate about. If it is playing hockey, then it probably won't matter that you don't have ice time until 11 pm and don't get home until 1:00 am and still have to go to work. If it is building a better body, then you probably won't mind getting up really early in the morning to exercise and work out. If it is becoming a public speaker, then you will want to attend public speaking events so that you can practice and learn.
Not all Toastmasters have dreams of pursuing a career in public speaking, but they do all have a desire to improve their communication skills in some way. Perhaps they are shy and want to overcome the nervousness they feel in social situations. Perhaps they have to give presentations as part of their job and they want to become more comfortable standing in front of an audience. Perhaps they want to be able to talk about their business without becoming embarassed. Whatever the reason, they have to make a choice. A choice to show up at a meeting, to find out more about public speaking, about Toastmasters in particular.
I have been a member of Toastmasters now for 8 years. I recently completed my DTM. I have held every office in Toastmasters, but my favourite is that of Public Relations. I really like to spread the word about the benefits of Toastmasters! I have seen members grow from being so shy that they could hardly speak loud enough to be heard in a meeting, to competing in a Division Contest.
I have been privileged to be a mentor to many new Toastmasters, to be a part of their growth from their first speech - the Ice Breaker - to the final speech in their Competent Communicator manual and beyond. I have attended conferences and helped with the contest activities by judging and/or timing. I have served as Area Governor and as a member of two High Performance Leadership teams.
My choice is to learn and to serve in Toastmasters, to become better at speaking and to share my knowledge with other club members. That is one of the reasons I insist on Educational Tips being a part of every meeting and every club I belong to. It is important that we learn and grow.
What is your choice? What are you passionate about?
Fran
P.S. If you are passionate about public speaking and want to get a list of over 800 speech topics, simply click on this link to my webpage and sign up for my free public speaking ezine.
If you want to pursue anything, it means you have to take some type of action. The word pursue involves movement and if you are sitting on the couch watching the lastest episode of Lost or The Amazing Race, then you are not moving, (other than to get up from the couch to go to the fridge for snacks).
Pursuing your passion means making choices to forgo that tv show to get out and do something about what you are passionate about. If it is playing hockey, then it probably won't matter that you don't have ice time until 11 pm and don't get home until 1:00 am and still have to go to work. If it is building a better body, then you probably won't mind getting up really early in the morning to exercise and work out. If it is becoming a public speaker, then you will want to attend public speaking events so that you can practice and learn.
Not all Toastmasters have dreams of pursuing a career in public speaking, but they do all have a desire to improve their communication skills in some way. Perhaps they are shy and want to overcome the nervousness they feel in social situations. Perhaps they have to give presentations as part of their job and they want to become more comfortable standing in front of an audience. Perhaps they want to be able to talk about their business without becoming embarassed. Whatever the reason, they have to make a choice. A choice to show up at a meeting, to find out more about public speaking, about Toastmasters in particular.
I have been a member of Toastmasters now for 8 years. I recently completed my DTM. I have held every office in Toastmasters, but my favourite is that of Public Relations. I really like to spread the word about the benefits of Toastmasters! I have seen members grow from being so shy that they could hardly speak loud enough to be heard in a meeting, to competing in a Division Contest.
I have been privileged to be a mentor to many new Toastmasters, to be a part of their growth from their first speech - the Ice Breaker - to the final speech in their Competent Communicator manual and beyond. I have attended conferences and helped with the contest activities by judging and/or timing. I have served as Area Governor and as a member of two High Performance Leadership teams.
My choice is to learn and to serve in Toastmasters, to become better at speaking and to share my knowledge with other club members. That is one of the reasons I insist on Educational Tips being a part of every meeting and every club I belong to. It is important that we learn and grow.
What is your choice? What are you passionate about?
Fran
P.S. If you are passionate about public speaking and want to get a list of over 800 speech topics, simply click on this link to my webpage and sign up for my free public speaking ezine.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Toastmasters - Your Road To Better Public Speaking
When you join toastmasters
Over the next few weeks I will be sharing with you 100 reasons to join Toastmasters. You may have heard the name before. You may have read some articles in the paper. You may have head people talk about it. But you are still not sure if Toastmasters is for you. Perhaps after you read these articles you will decide that it is indeed for you and for many of your friends. If so, please contact one of the numbers at the end of the article for more information.
To start out, let’s look at some of the growth you will experience with Toastmasters.
You will develop:
1. Public speaking skills
2. Presentation skills
3. Communication skills
4. Listening skills
5. Leadership skills
6. Evaluation techniques
7. Vocal variety
8. Effective non-verbal communication (body language)
9. Research techniques
If you are in customer service in any capacity, you can benefit from learning to develop your public speaking skills. If you are an employer, you might want to encourage your staff to attend weekly meetings. The Competent Communicator Manual gives you the opportunity to learn and practice some of the following: Organize Your Speech, Get to the Point (what do you want to achieve?), and How to Say It (Be specific, use vivid words, incorporate rhetorical devices, watch for jargon, etc.).
Have you ever been called upon at the last minute to give a presentation or a talk on something you’ve been working on, or something for a new client? Well, Toastmasters can help you think on your feet and be well organized so that this will become easy for you.
Communication involves more than just talking. It also involves shutting up (aka listening). Communication is a two way conversation. Many people say, “I have no problem talking”, and those around them are well aware of that. These people may have a problem letting other people talk. How many times have you been at a meeting where the person is supposed to speak only for 5 minutes and 15 minutes later they are still at it? At Toastmasters you learn how to craft a speech to fit within a specified time frame.
Listening skills are an important part of communication. It is important to listen well enough so that you really “hear” what the other person is saying. At our weekly meetings the Quizmaster tests the listening skills of the group by asking questions about things that went on during the meeting.
Leadership skills – are developed as members take on roles such as Toastmaster, Table Topics Master, Timer, Quizmaster, General Evaluator and others. Each person takes control of the lectern for their role and you have a chance to earn the Competent Leader award as you work through various roles such as: Speaker, Speech Evaluator, Timer, Grammarian, Ah Counter, Toastmaster, Mentoring a New or Existing Member, etc.
It is important to learn how to correctly evaluate someone so that they learn about the things they need to improve while being recognized for the things that they already do well. If all they hear is criticism, they don’t feel very good about themselves. One of the biggest challenges of a leader is to be able to give feedback to others on their performance. Feedback involves praising others to reinforce their outstanding performance and criticizing others to improve their performance. Often leaders are uncomfortable giving feedback. If team members are to perform to their potential, they need to know what they are doing well, what they are not doing well, and how they can improve. If you want to improve your team’s performance, you must be able to comfortably offer feedback to team members. Toastmasters teaches the “sandwich technique” for evaluations. Start with something positive, insert the message about things that could be improved and end with a positive comment. Come to a meeting and find out more.
Keep your conversations lively and worth listening to. Have you ever listened to a boring lecture where the person just drones on and on with no variety or depth to their voice? It’s enough to put you to sleep. Speech #6 will help you learn how to effectively use your voice for the highs and lows to keep people’s attention, (be expressive, use pauses for effectiveness, control your volume, pitch, rate and quality).
Your body often speaks louder than your actual words and people “read” what you are saying by the way you say it. Learn how to use gestures and eye contact to keep the audience watching and listening. Speech #5 - Your Body Speaks gives tips on how to use stance and movement, gestures, facial expression and eye contact naturally to enhance your communication.
Research techniques are developed as you prepare for your roles. If you are providing the word of the week, you will research the word to find out where it came from and what it means. If you are giving the Toast, you may want to look up more information on the weekly theme. If you are giving an Educational Tip, you will want to research your topic and prepare. Speech #7 from the Competent Communicator Manual gives you tips and ideas on how to research your topic to get the facts you need to support your message.
I hope this article has intrigued you and that you will consider joining us. Toastmasters is an international non-profit club run by volunteers to improve our public speaking ability by speaking regularly in a supportive environment with a solid program and helpful feedback.
Anyone over 18 who is interested in public speaking can join. Clubs have a great mix of experienced and beginning speakers, young and old. We believe that a diverse club offers the best learning opportunities.
Fran Watson
Proud Member of Pembroke & Renfrew Toastmaster Clubs
www.toastmastersdistrict61.org
For more information, you can go to www.toastmasters.org
Over the next few weeks I will be sharing with you 100 reasons to join Toastmasters. You may have heard the name before. You may have read some articles in the paper. You may have head people talk about it. But you are still not sure if Toastmasters is for you. Perhaps after you read these articles you will decide that it is indeed for you and for many of your friends. If so, please contact one of the numbers at the end of the article for more information.
To start out, let’s look at some of the growth you will experience with Toastmasters.
You will develop:
1. Public speaking skills
2. Presentation skills
3. Communication skills
4. Listening skills
5. Leadership skills
6. Evaluation techniques
7. Vocal variety
8. Effective non-verbal communication (body language)
9. Research techniques
If you are in customer service in any capacity, you can benefit from learning to develop your public speaking skills. If you are an employer, you might want to encourage your staff to attend weekly meetings. The Competent Communicator Manual gives you the opportunity to learn and practice some of the following: Organize Your Speech, Get to the Point (what do you want to achieve?), and How to Say It (Be specific, use vivid words, incorporate rhetorical devices, watch for jargon, etc.).
Have you ever been called upon at the last minute to give a presentation or a talk on something you’ve been working on, or something for a new client? Well, Toastmasters can help you think on your feet and be well organized so that this will become easy for you.
Communication involves more than just talking. It also involves shutting up (aka listening). Communication is a two way conversation. Many people say, “I have no problem talking”, and those around them are well aware of that. These people may have a problem letting other people talk. How many times have you been at a meeting where the person is supposed to speak only for 5 minutes and 15 minutes later they are still at it? At Toastmasters you learn how to craft a speech to fit within a specified time frame.
Listening skills are an important part of communication. It is important to listen well enough so that you really “hear” what the other person is saying. At our weekly meetings the Quizmaster tests the listening skills of the group by asking questions about things that went on during the meeting.
Leadership skills – are developed as members take on roles such as Toastmaster, Table Topics Master, Timer, Quizmaster, General Evaluator and others. Each person takes control of the lectern for their role and you have a chance to earn the Competent Leader award as you work through various roles such as: Speaker, Speech Evaluator, Timer, Grammarian, Ah Counter, Toastmaster, Mentoring a New or Existing Member, etc.
It is important to learn how to correctly evaluate someone so that they learn about the things they need to improve while being recognized for the things that they already do well. If all they hear is criticism, they don’t feel very good about themselves. One of the biggest challenges of a leader is to be able to give feedback to others on their performance. Feedback involves praising others to reinforce their outstanding performance and criticizing others to improve their performance. Often leaders are uncomfortable giving feedback. If team members are to perform to their potential, they need to know what they are doing well, what they are not doing well, and how they can improve. If you want to improve your team’s performance, you must be able to comfortably offer feedback to team members. Toastmasters teaches the “sandwich technique” for evaluations. Start with something positive, insert the message about things that could be improved and end with a positive comment. Come to a meeting and find out more.
Keep your conversations lively and worth listening to. Have you ever listened to a boring lecture where the person just drones on and on with no variety or depth to their voice? It’s enough to put you to sleep. Speech #6 will help you learn how to effectively use your voice for the highs and lows to keep people’s attention, (be expressive, use pauses for effectiveness, control your volume, pitch, rate and quality).
Your body often speaks louder than your actual words and people “read” what you are saying by the way you say it. Learn how to use gestures and eye contact to keep the audience watching and listening. Speech #5 - Your Body Speaks gives tips on how to use stance and movement, gestures, facial expression and eye contact naturally to enhance your communication.
Research techniques are developed as you prepare for your roles. If you are providing the word of the week, you will research the word to find out where it came from and what it means. If you are giving the Toast, you may want to look up more information on the weekly theme. If you are giving an Educational Tip, you will want to research your topic and prepare. Speech #7 from the Competent Communicator Manual gives you tips and ideas on how to research your topic to get the facts you need to support your message.
I hope this article has intrigued you and that you will consider joining us. Toastmasters is an international non-profit club run by volunteers to improve our public speaking ability by speaking regularly in a supportive environment with a solid program and helpful feedback.
Anyone over 18 who is interested in public speaking can join. Clubs have a great mix of experienced and beginning speakers, young and old. We believe that a diverse club offers the best learning opportunities.
Fran Watson
Proud Member of Pembroke & Renfrew Toastmaster Clubs
www.toastmastersdistrict61.org
For more information, you can go to www.toastmasters.org
Monday, November 16, 2009
Stepping Out of Your Comfort Zone
I attened a Toastmasters Conference this past weekend where I had the privilege of attending and participating in a 3 hour workshop presented by World Champion Speaker Darren Lacroix.
Darren LaCroix knew he wanted to be a comedian; but he wasn’t funny. He didn’t know how to prepare, or how to give a good delivery. Yet, ten years later, he became the 2001 World Champion of Public Speaking. How did that happen? With a lot of hard work! Darren stumbled through mistakes and failures for years. He struggled just like everyone else.
Daren shared his story:
"I came to Toastmasters in 1992... shy, lacking confidence, and with no talent. Thanks to Toastmasters, I was able to quit my day job of 11 years to become a full-time, professional speaker. Some say I'm “lucky.” Lucky? I’m just a guy who used the tool of Toastmasters better than most. Toastmasters gave me a place to practice, mentors pointed me in the right direction, and I was willing to fail.
In preparing for the World Championship Contest I studied 10 years of championship videos (90 world-class speeches), practiced at 22 clubs, got 141 written evaluations, and video-taped myself every chance I could. I also went to the previous World Champions and became a “sponge.” Their insight changed the way I presented forever. Do you think their insight could help you? Absolutely!"
Right now I have so much information running through my head that I need some time to work through it all. Darren shared SO MUCH information and helped us in so many ways that I actually Stepped ouside of my comfort zone and VOLUNTEERED to be critiqued on stage in front of about 300 people. What a rush!
I had also gone on stage during the workshop as part of an exercise Darren gave us, but actually going up on the same stage where the contest was held in front of so many other seasoned Toastmasters, well, that was different.
I will share more with you over the next few days, but if you want to check him out, go to: http://www.presentation411.com/
Or you can check him our on you-tube -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLangloPme0
You can also Twitter him - http://twitter.com/DarrenLaCroix
If you want more humour in your life and your speeches - check him out now.
Fran
Darren LaCroix knew he wanted to be a comedian; but he wasn’t funny. He didn’t know how to prepare, or how to give a good delivery. Yet, ten years later, he became the 2001 World Champion of Public Speaking. How did that happen? With a lot of hard work! Darren stumbled through mistakes and failures for years. He struggled just like everyone else.
Daren shared his story:
"I came to Toastmasters in 1992... shy, lacking confidence, and with no talent. Thanks to Toastmasters, I was able to quit my day job of 11 years to become a full-time, professional speaker. Some say I'm “lucky.” Lucky? I’m just a guy who used the tool of Toastmasters better than most. Toastmasters gave me a place to practice, mentors pointed me in the right direction, and I was willing to fail.
In preparing for the World Championship Contest I studied 10 years of championship videos (90 world-class speeches), practiced at 22 clubs, got 141 written evaluations, and video-taped myself every chance I could. I also went to the previous World Champions and became a “sponge.” Their insight changed the way I presented forever. Do you think their insight could help you? Absolutely!"
Right now I have so much information running through my head that I need some time to work through it all. Darren shared SO MUCH information and helped us in so many ways that I actually Stepped ouside of my comfort zone and VOLUNTEERED to be critiqued on stage in front of about 300 people. What a rush!
I had also gone on stage during the workshop as part of an exercise Darren gave us, but actually going up on the same stage where the contest was held in front of so many other seasoned Toastmasters, well, that was different.
I will share more with you over the next few days, but if you want to check him out, go to: http://www.presentation411.com/
Or you can check him our on you-tube -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLangloPme0
You can also Twitter him - http://twitter.com/DarrenLaCroix
If you want more humour in your life and your speeches - check him out now.
Fran
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)